Jalousies



March 17, 1959 P. GRAHAM 2,877,517

JALOUSIES Filed Aug. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l /a M /8 20%21 i la 2 NVEN T01? Phil/:p Graham ATTORNEY March 17, 1959 P. GRAHAM 2,877,517

JALOUSIES Filed Aug. 25, 1954 FIG-6 l t I Il INVENTOR BY PAH/.p Gra/mmATTORNEY United States Patent O JALOUSIES Phillip Graham, Pittsburgh,Pa.

Application August 25, 1954, Serial No. 452,123

6 Claims. (Cl. 20-62) This invention relates to jalousies, or windowshaving movable slats, for closing building openings and the like and isa continuation-impart of my co-pending application Serial No. 265,465,filed January 8, 1952, now Patent Number 2,770,850, issued November 20,1956, entitled Curved Closure Device, and my co-pending applicationSerial No. 363,867, filed June 24, 1953, now Patent Number 2,826,787,issued March 18, 1958, entitled Curved Closure Device, and my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 449,695, tiled August 13, 1954, now Patent No.2,826,788, issued March 18, 1958, entitled Curved Barrier.

Common fiat glass jalousies have many objectionable characteristics.They are fragile; they use a considerable amount of weighty materialineiciently; they act as a beam which is a weak ineflicient structure ascompared to an arch structure using an equal amount of material; andthey cannot divert a violent thrust into the edges of the jambs, thusthey require strong thick jambs. They cannot yield materially to resistimpacts and vibration, thus they shatter and create a hazard rather thanotter security. They do not have a cushion-seal, thus they chatter andsometimes break from the effects of gusts of wind and they do notprovide a seal against the passage of objectionable elements. They aremounted in a rigid costly frame.

The curved jalousies embodied in this invention do not have theobjectionable characteristics of the common flat glass jalousies. Thesebowed jalousies effectively use less material to offer low costprotection from violent forces. They are self-sealed and cushioned. Theycan readily be mounted on a thin shelled wall at an opening withoutusing a frame.

More particularly, this invention relates to bowed jalousies of thinreinforced plastic and the like that are freely tiltable normally, thatyield and bind to their jambs when they are subjected to violent blaststo allow them to divert the violent blast forces into the edges of thejambs, particularly very thin jambs of curved walls, and includingsealing and cushioning means to seal against the passage of undesirableelements and to cushion to prevent breakage and noise includingchattering, means to seal jambs against moisture that would freeze onthem and prevent the opening of the jalousies, also simple means tomount a set of jalousies without a frame on arched or straight walls andmeans to control a series of such jalousies simultaneously orindependently.

An object of my invention is to provide a low cost, strong, lightweight, durable, sealable, cushionable, attractive set of jalousies,able to yicldably resist and cushion violent blasts and impacts and todivert these forces into the edges of the jambs and which will preventicing formations that normally make jalousies inoperative.

Other objects of my invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

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Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, elevational view showing jalousies mounted in athin curved wall;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view taken along line 2-2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, along line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along line 4-4of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along line5--5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, elevational view taken along line 6-6 of Fig.4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view taken along line 7--7 ofFigs. 4 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 8--8 of Figs. 6and 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the over-lapping edgesof modified jalousies;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, sectional plan similar to Fig. 7 showing amodified jalousie;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary, plan view similar to Fig. 7 showing a modifiedjamb;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary, plan view similar to Fig. 7 showing a furthermodified jamb; and

Fig. 13 is an elevational view showing jalousies in a curved closuresuch as a door or shutter.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings, identicaljalousies J have a curved or bowed panel. The jalousies I are pivotallymounted in an opening in the curved or dished thin wall 2. The wall 2may be a thin concrete building wall, or it may be a thin wall of acurved closure, such as a door or shutter.

The jalousies may also be mounted in an opening of a thick straight orcurved wall. The jalousies I are fastened to the wall 2 by pivotedconnectors B. A control mechanism C may be used to open and close thejalousies. A screen 3, indicated by a light dotted line, may be usedwith this type of jalousie. Opened positions of jalousies (shown closed)are indicated by dot-dash lines.

The jalousie pane 1 may be made of slightly flexible plastic. A plasticpane 1 would be light in weight. Such plastic jalousie panes may be madeof various ingredients to suit various conditions. They may betranslucent or transparent for most usages; they may be made opaque forunusual conditions when ventilation is wanted with little light passage.All such plastic jalousies may be made in various colors. Panes 1 may bereinforced with such materials, as paper, fiber glass and/or metalreinforcing impregnated in the plastic. Jalousie panes may also be madeof other suitable materials, including glass, wood, and metal.

A pane 1 is curved with its convex surface bowed to the exterior. Itacts as an arch to take violent thrusts from the exterior. A pane 1 mayhave intermediate tapered corrugations 4 to stiffen it against bucklingtendencies, thus the corrugations 4 would allow the use of a thinnerpane. The top part of a pane 1 has a crimped shape which stitfens itagainst buckling tendencies. The bottom of pane 1 is stiifened with alip-like iiange. The bottom is also stiffened as it bears against thehorizontal seal-cushion 5, which bears against the crimped part of theadjacent panel 1 or the like structure at the bottom of the wallopening.

The ends of the panes 1 of jalousies .l have a Hangelike offset 6 whichstiffens the jalousies in width. Metal reinforcing 7 in offsets 6 may bemade of wires welded together and to the head of pin 8 to make a strongarrangement when encased in the plastic.

The vertical seal 9 may be made of soft yieldable plastic or rubber. Theseal 9 prevents the passage of undesirable elements and it can vyield tobreak a bonding sectional plan view taken effect from ice that may forma bridge from the wall 2 to the offset 6. The lower part of the jalousiemay be pivoted out to break or shear such a bridge of thin ice. Theseal-cushion 5 may have a thin skirt 5u to prevent ice from forming onthe crimped surface and to allow easier -breakage of ice that may bridgeacross the intermediate parts of the jalousies. Where icing conditionsare not to be encountered, skirt 5a may -be omitted. The seal-cushion 5may be a resilient tube, with a small wire Sb through it to restrain itfrom stretching and sagging. Clips 5c may be attached to the ends of thewire 5b and hooked to the notches inthe ends of the pane 1. The seals 5and 9 are easily attached or removed.

When adjacent jalousie edges are being closed they are cushioned by theflattening of the resilient seal 5. Wall slat 2a at the bottom of thewall opening provides a lapping means similar to the top crimped edge ofa pane 1. Seals 5 and 9 may be translucent or opaque and they may becolored. Jalousies of limited usefulness may be used without seals 5 and9. When jalousies are to be used where icing conditions do not prevail,smaller seals 5 may be used. Such small seals 5 may be attached close tothe top of the jalousie to prevent forming a pocket above the seal. Sucha pocket would catch dirt and condensation. The exposed upper end 9a ofseal 9 is pressured by the ybottom of the seal 9 on the jalousie aboveit, to lbend it to the shape shown in Fig. 8. The end 9a seals all thesurfaces it contacts. A short seal 9b on the bottom jalousie may becemented to the jalousie or the wall 2.

The crimped tops of the panes 1 allow lapping and allow the exteriorsurfaces of the panes 1 to line up when the jalousies I are closed. Thislining up of the closed jalousies allows the forces of violent thrustson the convex surfaces of the panes 1 to be effectively arched into theedge of a very thin wall 2.

A connector B has a bearing block 10 which is attached to the wall 2with screws 11. Screws 11 are of a type suitable for engaging the typeof wall 2. A thin wooden wall 2 would require wood screws and othertypes of materials for wall 2 would generally require machine screwswith metal inserts in the wall 2. A bearing 10 can be readily removed toallow removal or replacement of the pane 1. Long flexible panes 1 may besprung out of engagement to the fixed bearings 10 by increasing thebowing, by hand pressure on the concave side of the pane 1. Pin 8 pivotsin the bearing 10, also it may slide in the bearing when the convexsurface of the jalousie pane 1 is subjected to a violent pressure orwhen such a pressure is released. A slight gap or lack of bindingpressure between the edge of wall 2 and the pane 1 allows easy pivotalmovement of the jalousie when there is no extremely high pressure on theconvex side of the pane 1. This slight gap or lack of binding pressureis maintained bythe force of curved spring 12 and the resilientwasherlike member 13. The spring 12 and the washer 13 are compressed bythe effects of violent thrusts that slightly flatten and spread thejalousie. The flat washer 14 bears and rotates against the bearing 10 toprevent friction. When the offset 6 is made flexible or there isconsiderable play in the bearing 10, the jalousie ends would tend tohinge and close the gap or create binding pressure when a violent thrustis made on the convex side of the pane 1. Either the sliding of pin 8 orthe hinging action, or both may be used effectively to cause the pane 1to bind to the wall 2.

When in the closed position, the curved panes 1 can withstand a violentforce on their convex or exterior surface by yielding and flatteningslightly. The flattening of the panes 1 cause them to spread until theybind tightly to-the edges of the jambs of wall 2, then the panes 1 actas arches to divert the thrust into the jambs. A slight wind force onthe exterior of the panes 1 is resisted by pins 8 and fasteners B. Whena violent gust of wind or a missile driven by such a wind strikes thepane 1, the flexible pane 1 yields quickly lby slightly flattening andthus cushion the shock. The pins 8 resist only a small part of thethrust, as the panes 1 yield to allow most of the force to continueforward until the yielding causes the panes 1 to spread and thus bind tothe `parallel jambs of wall 2. When the panes 1 bind to wall 2, theviolent forces tend to compress the panes 1 and thus further the slightflattening, then the intense compressive forces created in the panes 1are resisted bythe wall 2.

The washer 13 seals the metal surfaces against spray from rains toprevent corrosion. The screen 3 may be notched to clear the bearings 10and bear against the washer 13. The pin 8 has a hexagon or squareshoulder to receive a matching hole in hook bar 15. The pin 8 is furthershouldered and threaded to receive the nut 16 and a lock washer.

The hooks on bars 15 engage sets of bead-like buttons 17a on controlline 17. The control mechanism C includes the control line 17, pulleys18, drum 19, crank 20 and lock-fork 21. The control line 17 engagespulleys 18 and drum 19. The line 17 is looped around drum 19, so theline is pulled when the hinged crank 20 is turned. The crank 20 swingsdown between the prongs of lockfork 21, after it is used for cranking,thus drum 19 is locked as it is restrained from rotating. The pulleys 18slide for alignment when the line 17 moves in and out with the pivotingof the hook-bars 15. The spring 22 keeps the line 17 taut so that itbinds to the drum 19. The line 17 may be a small metal cable, to whichbeads 17a made of metal may be soldered. During metal shortage periods,line 17 may be made of cord with knots and the like to act as beads. Thecontrol mechanism C allows various means to regulate the jalousies.There may be one or more sets of buttons 17a for `each connector B. Twosets of buttons 17a are shown. They allow positioning of the hook arms15 to the line 17 to have jalousies differently regulated. Somejalousies may be kept closed while others are open. A jalousie such asthe bottom jalousie may generally be kept closed to prevent a draft, bydisengaging the line 17 from the bars 15. A forked ended stick may beused to reach and switch the line 17 at the upper jalousies. The controlmechanism C may be made with very little metal. Thus during times ofmetal shortages, such as war times, this control C would be suitable.Jalousies J may be connected by modified common Ibar type regulators(not shown) if preferred.

When the thin jalousies I are open and subject to gusts of wind or whenthey are being regulated, they would have no tendency to twist when theyeach have two hook bars 15 engaged to control line 17. The heat of thesun would increase the arc of the panes 1 and thus tending to slightlybind the panes 1 to the jambs of wall 2. The heat would not create theintense binding effect of the pressure flattening of the panes. Therewould be only a little friction on the small areas of the wall endswhere they are contacting the jalousies when the jalousies are opened,and guests of wind or heat from the sun tends to slightly spread thepanes 1. When the jalousies J are nearly closed, gusts of wind wouldtend to close them, since the pins 8 are above the center of theoutwardly exposed area, thus the wind pressure on the lower part wouldbe greater. When curved jalousies are in open position, they cannot sagmaterially and break, as at jalousies would tend to do. The gutter-likedepressions 1a near the ends of panes 1 carry off rain drainage thattends to flow towards the ends when the jalousies are open.

Jalousies of more limited usefulness may be made with less curvature orno curvature. Curved jalousies may be dished slightly for stiffnessrather than be corrugated.

Fig. 9 shows fragments of modified jalousies Ja, and modifiedseal-cushion 5d. These jalousies may be used with a thicker wall 2.These jalousies may be used when jalousie material cannot be crimpedeconomically.

Fig. 10 shows a fragment of a modified jalousie. A

thin curved pane 1b is a suitable shape for a curved sheet of plastic orglass. The ends of the pane 1b t into modified flanges 6a which aresimilar to flanges 6. A key 23, secured to the flange 6a, engages anotch in the end of the pane 1b, to prevent vertical movement. Curvedjalousies 1b made of sheets may have a lapping arrangement similar tothe arrangements shown in Fig. 9. A curved glass pane 1b with plasticanges 6a and seals 5d and 9 would be a useful combination.

Fig. ll shows a'modication which has a member 24 which is fastened to athick wall 2b. This modification includes means to use the jalousies inopenings in new or old walls.

Fig. 12 shows another modification which includes a wide jamb on a wall2c. This arrangement is suitable for wood or concrete blockconstruction. Special concrete blocks may be used to form the wall withthe wide jamb. Access openings in the interior would allow access meansto the control mechanism C. The resilient washers 13 seal the holes inthe jambs.

Fig. 13 shows a further modification, including a series of jalousiesmounted in an opening in a curved closure or barrier 25. The jalousiesmay be mounted in openings in the curved doors, shutters and barriersdescribed in my three copending applications hereinbefore mentioned.

Jalousies or panes, as previously described, are usually mounted inseries. One pane may also be used alone to close an opening. Such ajalousie or pane may be a window or a transom.

'I'hus it will be seen that I have provided an eicient and strong curvedclosure element, in the form of jalousie, slat, window, louver or thelike, which provides optimum strength for a given amount of material andwhich, by curvature and yieldable nature of the pane or panel andyieldable fasteners, makes it possible to cushion violent forces andbind to the jambs, so as to divert the violent forces into the edges ofthe jambs where the wall is best able to resist the forces; also I haveprovided a crimped lapping oiset to allow the thin effective edges of aseries of jalousies to line up so as to provide optimum bearing surfacesto very thin jambs; also I have provided novel stiffening means for thejalousie in the form of crescent shaped corrugations, crimped top edgingand a anged lip at the bottom to permit the jalousie to ex withoutbuckling.

Additionally, I have provided a closure element which may be made ofplastic or other suitable materials and which may be provided with aresilient sealing and cushioning material.

While I have illustrated and described several specific embodiments ofmy invention, it will be understood that these are by way ofillustration only, and that various changes and modications may be madewithin the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a building Wall opening dened by horizontal topand bottom edge portions and substantially vertical side edge portionsof the wall; jalousie means comprising a plurality of thin, flexibletranslucent panels having longitudinal axes extending horizontallyacross said opening in vertically spaced, parallel relationship and insubstantially the same plane, means for pivotally mounting the ends ofeach of said panels to allow pivotal movement of said panels about theirhorizontal axes to permit the said panels to be pivoted into the open orclosed positions, each of said panels being bowed horizontally outwardlyof the building when in closed position, the bow spanning the width ofsaid opening, said panels having their end edges in close proximity tosaid side edge portions of the wall, whereby external forces exertedagainst the outside convex surfaces of said panels will tend to slightlyilatten the panels and place them under compression so that said forceswill be diverted substantially along the arcuate paths of the bows ofsaid panels and through said end edges of the panels into the abuttingportions of said side edge portions of the wall, an elastic sealingstrip extending horizontally along one of the longitudinal edge portionsof each of said panels, elastic end sealing strips extending along theend extremities of said panels to seal the gaps between the ends of saidpanels and said side edge portions of the wall, said end sealing stripsbeing positioned outwardly from the outer face of said panels to allowthe end edges of said panels to bear directly against, and to transmitblast forces to the said side edge portions of the said wall.

2. 'I'he combination recited in claim 1 together with means forselectively pivoting one or more of said panels about said longitudinalaxes.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said vertical side edgeportions of the wall are disposed in substantially the same arcuateplane as that of the said bowed panels, when the said panels are inclosed positions.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 together with a door bowedoutwardly of the building wall having said opening formed in a panel ofsaid door.

5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said panels are of plasticmaterial and each is provided with a tapered corrugation extendinglongitudinally of the panel and along an intermediate portion only ofthe length of the panel, said corrugation diminishing in height from thecenter towards the sides of the panel and being of zero height at saidend edges, the top and bottom longitudinally extending edges of saidpanels have llanges, said corrugations and said llanges stitening saidpanels to prevent them from buckling while a1- lowing them to flattenunder a thrust.

6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said pivotal meansincludes resilient means for normally biasing the ends of said panelsaway from the said vertical side edge portions of the wall to preventthe ends of said panels from binding against said vertical side edgeportions of the wall, when the said panels are not being pressurized byblasts, said resilient means yielding when a violent pressure on theconvex surfaces of the said panels causes the said panels to attenslightly so the said end edges bear against the said vertical side edgeportions of the wall, said resilient means preventing side play andresultant chattering noise, in addition the said resilient meanspreventing excessive friction and wear between said panels and saidvertical side edge portions of the wall when the said panels are beingopened and closed, thus requiring less effort in operating said panels.

References Cited in the lo of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,207,147 Gilbertson July 9, 1940 2,208,198 Seaman July 16, 19402,314,476 Blumenthal Mar. 23, 1943 2,483,523 Brandon et al. Oct. 4 19492,487,108 De Carlo Nov. 8, 1949 2,505,155 Smith Apr. 25, 1950 2,554,822Geier May 29, 1951 2,602,501 Roos July 8, 1952 2,620,869 Friedman Dec.9, 1952 2,627,913 Hill Feb. 10, 1953 2,640,233 Silvers June 2, 19532,641,465 Snow June 9, 1953 2,693,010 Anderson Nov. 2, 1954 2,771,643Zelov Nov. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 308,108 Great Britain Mar. 21, 1929

